John b



strat fitte,

IMPRQVBMBNT'IN Bourin-TUBE CLEANERS.

dige Stigenile referat inl in time ttlters atuit mit mittig pitt at tige time.

To ALL WHOMv 1T MAY Germania'` Be it known that I, JOHN B. CHRISTOFFELLof the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved F Apparatus for Cleaning Boiler and other Tubes, and4 I do hereby declare that the follow- 'ing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which Will-enable otherssklled in the .art to make and use.

the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ot' this specification, in which- The figure is a side view of my improved boiler-tube cleaner, and showing in red lines a section of tube.

My invention has for its objectto furnish an improved instrument for cleaning and removing the scale from the interior surface of boiler and other tubes which shall be simple in construction, easily and conveniently operated, and effectual in its operation; and it consists in the combination of a series of spiral Scrapers, with the movable and stationary heads, and with -a guide and draught-rod g, in the combination of one or more elastic or lexible scrapers with the said rod; and in the combination of a coiled spring, or equivalent, and adjusting nut with the rod and'movable head, the whole being constructed' and arranged as' hereinafter more fully described". v l

A is the rod to which the othervparts of the apparatus are attached, and which may be of any .desired length. In situations in which it is convenient to use such a rod it may be made long enough to reach through' the tube; or it may be made shorter, and drawn through the tube by a cord or rope attached to itsend. B is a stationary head, secured' to the rod A, at or near its. rear end, and to which the rear ends of the' spiiz Scrapers C are secured. D is ahead, moving freely in any direction upon the -rod A, and to which the for-ward ends of' the Scrapers .C are secured. The srapers C, are set spirally, and are secured to the heads B and D by screws, or by bolts and nuts, so that, should they lor any ot' them become worn or broken, theyinay readilybe removed and replaced with new ones. `The Scrapers C I prefer to make of soft or unhardened steel or iron, as4 Wearing the tub'es less; orthey may be made of any other suitable metal. By this .construction the Scrapers are enabled to adj-ust `themselves to tubes of any size, so as always to press against their interior surfaces. E is a coiled spring placed around the rod A in front of the movablel head D, the rear end of which rests against `or may be attached to the'said movable head, and its forward end rests against the nut F, which can be moved back and forth upon a screw-thread,'a, cut upon the rod A, so that the pressure of the spring E upon the movable head D'may -be adjusted at pleasure, and through it the pressure of the Scrapers C against the interior surface of the tube being cleaned. G isan 'elastic oriexible scraper, made of leather, rubber, or some similar material, and attached to the rear -end of the rod A, for the purpose oi' removing from the tube` the scale and dust loosened bythe action of the scrapersO. If desired, a similar elastic or exble scraper, H, may be attached to the forward part o f the rod A, to remove the loose dirt in front of' the Scrapers C, so as to leave them free to act upon the scale and dirt adhering to thetube. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by L ,etters Patent, is-

1. An improved tube cleaner, vformed by the combination Aof the series of spiral Scrapers C, the stationary head B, and the movable head D, with each other, and with the rod A, substantially as herein shown and described. i i

2. The combination of one or more elastic-or flexible Scrapers G with the rod A, substantially as herein shown and described, 'and' for'tlle purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the coil'cd springzELor equivalent, and adjusting nut F with the rod A and movable head D, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

J. B. CHRISTOFFEL.

Witnesses:

W M. F. McNAMARA, JAMEsT. GRAHAM. 

